Method of making turned shoes



March 14, 1939. G. R. BA BB I 2,150,480

I v METHOD OF MAKING TURNED SHOES Filed Aug. 12, 1936 2 sheets-sheet 1velziar flay March 14, 1939.. BABB 2,150,480 METHOD OF MAKING TURNEDsqon s I Filed Aug. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In yen for.

Gerald R. Babb fliiorney Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to shoemaking and consists in an improvement inthe manufacture of turned shoes. K

The structure of the so-called turned shoe heretofore made and marketed,while open to a great potential popularity, has consistently showndefects and weaknesses that have over-shadowed its many advantages.

My present improvements relate more particularly to shoes of this typein which a shank piece is to be used, such shank pieces usually beingcombined with a metal shank stifiener or reinforcement for thetheoretically well adapted, and for the most part really designed foruse in such shoes. However, in spite of a wide range of structure anddesign the actual embodiment of such shank pieces in this type of shoehas been commercially disappointing and trouble breeding.

The great flexibility in the forepart of turn shoes has thrown a heavyand often destructive strain on the after parts of the shoe. This hasbeen a common and vexatious experience in turn shoemaking. The solutionof this problem has bafiled the efforts of shoe manufacturer andmachinery expert alike. 25 My concept is that of providing for anintegration of certain of the old turn shoe elements into a newrelation, whereby the shoes so made have all the virtues of the turnedshoe type, but none of its particular structural weaknesses. Myinvention contemplates the provision of a novel shank construction whichresists the stresses peculiar to turned shoes and eliminates hithertotroublesome disadvantages of turned shoes.

Briefly summarized, my invention may be said 35 to contemplate a novelturned shoe structure including a prepared sole fitted on one side toreceive the overlasted margin of an inside-out shoe upper for any typeof fastening suitable for turn shoe manufacture. The sole may be fittedon its other side with a flap or flaps for covering the fastening meansif desired. An inside-out shoe upper is lasted to said sole by any form'of suitable fastening, and an inside shank piece is provided of suitablematerial to retain firmly a fastening, with or without a metal or otherreinforcing material. The second or relastinglast may have any resistingmaterial on the bottom, shank and heel portions capable of clinching,upsetting, or otherwise stopping, any penetrating material used forfastening, however done. A moulded or flat counter may be used or nocounter at all. All of the necessary parts when put together are turnedright side out and formed by the insertion of the second last." On thisthey are held rigidly in place over its resisting hard bottom whichunderlies it at the shank and heel portions and the completion of whichprepares said novel turn shoe structure to receive fastenings drivenfrom the outside along the shank and heel portions. These fastenings maybe of any kind of material capable of being passed or driven from anydesirable point on the outside of the shank and heel portions, suchfastenings being left exposed or covered by a flap or flaps, as desired,being driven through vertically or at an angle from the outside of thesole through any or all materials between the outside of the sole at theshank and heel portions toward the inside surface of the shank and heelportions of the turn shoe structure. Such fastenings of whatever kindused, may be embedded, clinched, or otherwise fastened so completely inthe materials forming the shank and heel portions of said shoe overforming last, that the new and novel shank and heel portions of saidturned shoe becomes one solid unitary arch truss. This consolidates therear of this novel turn shoe into a solid formation, resulting in arigid, compact, form-retaining back part of the shoe.

My method is simple and inexpensive in operation, as will appear fromthe following discussion in the succeeding specification. In this I havereferred to drawings which are necessarily somewhat diagrammatic orsuggestive, but which will illustrate my inventions tothose skilled inshoemaking.

In the drawings:-

Fig. l is a plan view of the grain side of a sole according to myinvention showing the channelor lip indicated along the edges of theshank portion.

Fig. 2 is 'a section through the shank portion of such a sole but withchannel flaps laid down.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the flesh side of such a sole.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bottom of a last adapted for use inaccordance with my invention, showing a metal facing.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken through the shankportion of a .last constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 6 is an indicative showing of the bottom of a lasted shoe.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the shoe of Fig. 6 re-lastedand stapled or fastened at the shank portion of the shoe.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the shank portion ofthe-finished shoe along the line of fastening.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section through the shank portion of the shoe,and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a typical shank piece and stiffener.

As first above indicated, the turned shoes produced in accordance withmy invention, while of the general turned type, and produced by methodsgenerally similar to the manufacture of such shoes as heretoforepracticed, are structurally of such new and improved nature as to makethem really a new article of footwear.

My method, moreover, as will be hereinafter more fully developed,involves certain radically novel departures from the old practice. Forthe purposes of illustration I have shown a characteristic shoestructure and indicated certain steps of a method for its production,but I do not wish to be restricted thereby as such disclosure isintended to be illustrative, suggestive and instructive to those skilledin the art and not at all to be construed as by way of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, and considering a characteristic shoe and itsparts, I have indicated at l a sole member. This has on its grain sidealong the edges of the shank portion, a shallow channel 2 cut to form alip which may be thrown up in the usual way. This may be done by suchmachines as are already provided for such purposes, the flap beingadapted to be laid back and later cemented in place to cover thefastenings disposed along the channel bottom. On its opposite or fleshside P, the sole may be prepared or stock-fitted in the usual manner foreither surface stitching or shoulder stitching, as may be desired,'orfor any combination of stitching adapted to such a shoe structure. Thismay be done by stitching the forepart only and fastening the shank piecewith means other than stitching, such for example, as stapling orpegging with fibre or other material.

All such details are largely optional, but it is to be noted that myconcept provides for the utilization of all that extensive technique ofturn shoe-making that has been so patiently and studiously developed inthe factory manufacture of such shoes in the past generation and stillmore so by intensive commercial competitive production.

I have indicated the channel and its lip generally at2 and a typicaltype of shoulder as at 3 adapted to receive stitching laid by anysuitable sewing machine. I have indicated at 4 a shank piece of theusual type and at 5 a stiffening piece or bar usually tacked to theshank piece t which preferably is of fibre or similar material.

Practically any type of shank piece may be used. Those designed forturned shoes are usually of sufiiciently rigid structure to brace theshoe at the shank portion thereof as much as possible. This isparticularly necessary in turned shoes because of the great flexibilityin the forepart sole region and the resultant effects of suchflexibility have tended to work back towards the heel seat as the shoeis flexed in wear, producing a slackness in the shank portion of theshoe caused by the sole falling away from the inside shank piece andusually causing eventual loss of fit and form and the line to which theshoe was styled.

According to my concept this slackness or socalled bagginess in the shoeat the shank or instep area of the foot is anticipated and prevented byembodying a shank piece in that region of the sole in such a way that itbecomes in effect a truss or overhanging buttressing support in advanceof the heel.

For the production of my new type of turned shoes I have devised asimple, methodical basis of procedure consistent with usual factorypractice in the manufacture of turned shoes and capable of operationwith usual and simple equipment or with readily available equipment orsuch equipment only very slightly modified.

In such equipment my invention contemplates as an accessory, a new andimproved last, especially adapted for the second lasting. I am wellaware that wooden lasts have long been bottomed with sheet metal orother surfacing for various purposes, and that such so-called ironbottoms have been provided for various areas and over different parts oflasts.

While generally similar in construction to such former lasts, my newlasts, according to my pres ent invention and concept, and as providedfor in its practice, consists of a usually turned wooden foot form 8 towhich I attach a plate 6 of thin metal with nails or any equivalentfastenings (Fig. 4) The surfacing preferably consists of a heel area 6 ashank area 6 and a forepart 5 The heel area B is generally similar tothe usual heel iron of a last as such is commonly provided. It isapertured, as is also its shank portion, as at 1, so that the underlyingwood can be reached for temporary tacking. The size and location ofthese apertures of course depends on the specifications for the make-upof the shoe and its mode of assembly, or they may be omitted altogetherif unnecessary under turn shoe construction, as in the practice of themethod of Letters Patent to Lumbard, No. 1,789,046.

Preferably the plate 6 is in one piece and is of any desired sizesufiicient in accordance with my invention to amply underlie by agenerous margin the shank piece to be used in the inside of the shoe.For this purpose it is slightly narrower than the width of the lastshank area E of the last but of a breadth amply to underlie the shankpiece of the shoe on each side of the shank stiffener, which ispositioned usually centrally longitudinally of the shank piece andattached to it at its opposite ends. It may be slightly rounded at itsedges or flat, or for certain types of fastening it may beslightly-concaved. This depends on whether the fastening used is astaple, headed tack, fibre peg or any one of the various commonly usedfastening members.

When the sole 1 has been channeled and stock fitted, it is tacked on thefirst or sewing last, flesh side up. The upper is then drawn over thelast wrong-side out as in ordinary turn lasting. The upper is thenfastened to the sole along the flesh side channel in any one of theusual ways. This may be done by stitching all around and tacking thestitching from heel breast around toe to heel breast, or heel seat. Theheel seat portion or other portions of the shoe may then be partlystitched, staple-lasted or pegged, depend ing on the process and resultsdesired. The first or sewing last is then withdrawn from the upper, theupper turned right side out, and the lining lifted for insertion of amolded counter, if used, after which the lining is tucked down in placeand the shank piece with or without reinforcement attached, is insertedinto the shoe and tacked in place in the heel portion for maintaining itin proper longitudinal position and alignment in the shoe. The shoe isthen ready to receive the second or forming last on which is a metalbottom indicated by the plate 6.

In the event that a fiat counter process is employed, the counteris'inserted when the shoe is wrongside out and before the upper isfastened to the flesh side of the sole and held in place by the sewingon the first last. The first last is then withdrawn from the upper andthe upper turned right side out. The shank piece with or withoutreinforcement attached is inserted as before described.

one great advantage of my invention arises from the fact that in themolded counter type of manufacture, the counter and shank piece are heldin place by the second or forming last, and are not subject todistortion when subjected to the fastening operation herein described.In fact, if desired, the longer types of moulded counters can be usedand can be embodied in pairs as lefts and rights.

After the shoe is re-lasted, the channel on the grain side is lifted andis ready to receive a fastening which penetrates from the outsidethrough the sole and all of the substances between the sole and the hardbottom of the second or forming last. Thus, my invention provides forthe unification of the Whole shank and sole area by through and throughfastenings, hereinbefore referred to, while all members of the shoe ofwhatever turn process is used, are fastened in place without distortion.By including in my concept such a fastening means of driven and clinchedmembers, I am enabled enormously to increase the strength and rigidityof the shoe at this point. I can prevent it from rolling or rocking inuse in advance of the heel and prevent the sole from falling away fromthe shank piece and in this manner prevent the bulging of the shoe afterbeing worn.

In this operation, as will be immediately apparent to those skilled inthe art, where the operative is holding the unlasted shoe by handagainst a stapling, tacking, sewing or pegging machine, there is greatdanger that the back part of the shoe will be distorted at the verymoment when it is about to be made completely permanent and immobile. Ihave endeavored to illustrate by somewhat enlarged sections in Figs. 8and 9, a shoe with this incorporation of the shank parts into a rigidtruss or buttress member.

In Fig. 7 the flap of the channel 2 is indicated as folded back on oneside to expose the fastenings l0 laid in the channel bottom on that sideand normally covered thereby as indicated on the other side, after theflap is cemented down. The fastening may be exposed or concealeddepending on the wishes of the manufacturer. In the longitudinal sectionin Fig. 8 I have endeavored to indicate the relation of drivenfastenings, such.

as In, indicated as having been clinched, headed or otherwise fixed deepin the shank piece 4, which is sustained against the metal plate 6 ofthe last. As shown in Fig. 9 they are disposed laterally of the centermetal strip or reinforcement 5 of the shank piece. Such fastenings,therefore, form what is essentially an encasement of the metal shankpiece between the leather instep portion of the sole and the fibre coverportion of the shank which is thereby prevented from working through tothe inner surface of the shoe and the wearers foot.

The materials suggested are merely those of practical convenience andeconomy, it only being necessary or desirable that the material of theshank piece be capable of receiving and holding the clinch or otherupset of the driven fastening so that in spite of subsequent strainswhen the shoe is worn in walking, these fastenings will not pull looseor allow the shank piece to drop away or work down or bulge or breakthrough at the ball of the foot, as has often been the case in earlierstructures.

While I have shown and described a shank piece of conventional type aspopular and well understood by shoemakers, yet my concept is inclusiveof any shoe shank area capable of being trussed by any kind offastenings driven from.

the exterior or bottom side of the shoe to any depth or through anythickness of material sufficient to hold it. The metal bottomed last isonly a simple illustrative form or expedient, but constitutes no part ofany of the stapling, nailing or pegging machines which may be used todrive a fastening from the outside of a turn sole through theintervening materials and fastening into the shank cover.

Furthermore, the upper and its lining being securely attached to andsustained by the shank piece as a buttress at the shank portion do notsag or given way or separate from the shank piece as in the ordinaryturned shoe under its leverage on the rear part of the shoe in actualwear.

My shoes, as above indicated, may be heeled and otherwise finished inthe usual manner and without interference with usual factory practiceand procedure.

Having now described and illustrated my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in the method of making a turned shoe, comprisingattaching to the bottom area of the first last a prepared sole fitted onone side for stitching, working an inside out upper over said last andstitching it to said sole, withdrawing the stitched upper and sole fromthe first last and turning them right side out, temporarily attaching areinforced shank piece to the sole inside the shoe, placing the shoe ona second last, and uniting said shank piece to the shoe structure by aseries of metal fasteners driven from the outside of the sole throughthe shank piece and clinched on the upper surface thereof whereby saidshank piece and sole are united as an arch truss structurerigidlyspanning the rear of the shoe from heel seat to ball.

2. That improvement in the method of making a turned shoe, comprisingattaching to the sole area of the first last a prepared sole fitted onone side for stitching, applying to the last an upper of a turned shoestructure wrong side out and stitching it to said sole, withdrawing thestitched upper and sole from the first last and turning it right sideout, placing the shoe on a second last with a reinforced shank piecebetween the sole and said last, and uniting the margins of said shankpiece to the shoe structure by a series of fasteners driven from theoutside of the sole through the shank piece and upset on the uppersurface thereof by contact with the last bottom whereby said shank pieceand sole are united as an arched structure rigidly spanning the rear ofthe shoe from heel seat to ball.

3. A method of making turned shoes, which comprises, securing a sole tothe bottom of a last, lasting an inside-out upper to said sole,stitching said upper to said sole from breast to breast, turning thesewed shoe, relasting the sewed shoe with a shank piece and shankstiffener between the sole and the last, and driving a series offasteners along each side of the shank portion of the sole and into theshank piece, thereby enclosing the shank stiffener and forming a unitaryrigid arch in the shank portion of the shoe.

GERALD R. BABB.

